Land-use sprawl in the Himalayas has caused the conversion of natural habitat into human-modified habitats, thus degrading ecosystem health. Adaptation of birds to changing physical environment can be well understood by analyzing their habitat preferences, and foraging dynamics explored to a limited extent in the Himalayan region, as yet. To achieve a comprehensive understanding of avian guild structure, we used multivariate statistical techniques to classify bird species according to their similarities in foraging patterns and habitat preferences. Observations based on habitat and diet affinities accounted for rich avian diversity with a total of 208 bird species (about 15% of country’s avifauna) recorded from six different sites during 1 year survey. Unweighted pair-group average cluster analysis performed on the families revealed ten feeding and fifteen habitat guilds among 63 bird families observed. Subtropical forests harbored more species followed by urban forests and agricultural landscapes. Insectivorous and omnivorous outnumbered other feeding guilds in the study area. Bird assemblages were richer in protected areas and semi-disturbed landscapes and did not show significant variation between the seasons. Results of the study revealed that different functional groups of birds behaved differently, primarily induced by choice of food. The site heterogeneity favored avifaunal persistence by providing favorable foraging, roosting, and nesting opportunities to birds. Composition of avian guilds indicated level of intactness and ecological integrity of ecosystems studied. This outcome thus sets the background for long-term analysis of bird-habitat relationship and their foraging dynamics. The study has the relevance for decision-makers to integrate avian guild structure as an essential ingredient in formulating conservation strategies.
Raptors are highly sensitive to environmental and human-induced changes. In addition, several species of raptors exist in considerably small numbers. It is thus critical to conserve raptors and their habitats across relatively larger landscapes. We examined the diurnal raptor assemblages and seasonality in a subtropical habitat in India’s northwestern Himalayas. Quantitative data on diurnal birds of prey and their habitat features across six distinct habitat types were collected from 33 sample sites. We observed 3,434 individuals of 28 diurnal raptors belonging to two orders and three families during a two-year survey from December 2016 to November 2018. A significant variation in bird species richness and abundance was found across habitats and seasons, with farmlands and winters being the most diverse and speciose. The generalized linear model, used to determine raptor community responses, indicated that elevation and proximity to dumping sites significantly affected the raptor abundance. The non-metric multidimensional scaling (NMDS) revealed significant differences in raptor assemblages across the habitat types. The study concluded that raptors’ persistence is largely determined by their preference for favourable feeding, roosting, and nesting opportunities. The presence of protected and habitat-exclusive species validates the high conservation importance of these ecosystems, particularly the forest patches and farmlands, necessitating robust conservation and management measures in this part of northwestern Himalaya.
Wildlife mortality due to vehicular collision is well known across the world and the number of such incidences is steadily rising in Himalaya as well. To assess the quantum of wildlife road kills, we conducted an intensive survey spanning 33 months along a mountainous National Highway 244 in the Union Territory of Jammu & Kashmir. Forty-nine wild animal carcasses of 13 species of higher vertebrates were observed lying on the road, shoulders, edges, and valley slopes. These included seven mammals, four birds, and two reptiles. This survey, first of its kind in this part of the Himalaya would be helpful in understanding the underlying reasons of the rising wildlife fatalities on the hill roads, identifying susceptible hotspots, and developing measures to address this new threat to Himalayan wildlife. We recommend creating wildlife passages, raising speed halters, and placing warning signages in vulnerable sections to reduce the road-related wildlife mortality in such mountainous highways.
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